SCCG WEEKLY NEWSLETTER #113
Stephen Crystal
??????”Top Gaming Industry Voice”. Innovating & “Powering” the Gambling Industry in Las Vegas & Worldwide for over 33 Years!??????
To compete in today's gaming industry, casinos need to understand the supporting companies, technologies, and services available to and operating in their markets. One example is the implementation of AI and machine learning driven customer relationship management systems from companies like Symplify. This innovative technology uses artificial intelligence to understand non-obvious trends in player behavior and respond to them in ways that maintain their loyalty in an automated fashion.?
The gaming industry is no longer dominated by a "build it, and they will come" mentality. It's estimated that 80% of customers research online before deciding about visiting a casino. Companies like Stack Digital are experts in SEO and PPC for iGaming, ensuring your solutions are top of search and mind. Casinos can take advantage of this trend by understanding available technologies and developing a strategy that converts online traffic into foot traffic and vice versa. Marketing services from companies like Growth Leads, who focus on growth marketing and lead generation, or Bet Decider, who specialize in Venue-based sports marketing, all have special talents that can benet many channels of operators within the gaming industry.?
Casinos can build in-house marketing teams, reach out to third party agencies to help develop their long-term competencies or outsource a service. An initial audit and review of operations from companies like Kinectify and Netacea can help operators understand where their iGaming operations could be streamlined or automated and assist IT organizations in identifying operating risks associated with bot activity.?
Data mining is an essential element of successful casino marketing. With increased data about players, casinos can make targeted communications to their sports bettors through data-driven analytics from companies like Bettorlogic, presenting reasons to make bets now, in real-time, based on the interests of the sports bettors themselves.
Remember: you are not alone.?You don't have to personally be constantly connected to the universe of the gaming industry's vast company, technology, and services. Companies like SCCG Management can help you, on a consultative basis, identify opportunities for high-value engagements with best-in-class client partners to benet your entire organization.?
We're looking forward to talking with you when you are ready.
It is always exciting to see major sports leagues further embrace legalized sports betting, much like the NBA is showing with their recent roll-out of a resigned NBA App. Free to download, this redesigned app has new personalization features, copious amounts of content covering every NBA game, and an increased focus on sports betting and betting-related videos.??
In an announcement last week, the NBA said it will be launching a “reimagined” global NBA App, which will feature all sorts of new features that are made to make basketball fans more engaged with their favorite sport. Chris Benyarko, NBA Executive Vice President, Direct-to-Consumer, said of the new app: “Launching our new NBA App and digital platform is a major milestone as we continue to build and strengthen our consumer offerings. We are thrilled to deliver a reimagined product that will enhance and personalize the way NBA fans engage with the league on a daily basis.” The NBA App will give users exclusive access to original programming, and those with NBA League Pass subscriptions will have even more options to alternate, personalized viewing experiences. These will include alternate camera angles on any game a user wishes to watch, analytics-driven options, and more betting-focused streams. The NBA has always been a forward-thinking entity, especially post-PASPA, but this new app will be the first time where the league is actively promoting gambling content. On top of the list of sports betting content is a weekly live show called NBABet Stream which will be produced by NBA TV with betting expert Tim Doyle and several other sports betting personalities. The show is aimed at providing the latest betting information during live game coverage, including live betting odds. The NBA launched NBABet in 2021 with BetMGM providing the betting odds for the show.
Aside from this new betting-focused show, the NBA has said that it will focus on sports content with betting angles worked into them. The NBA already has deals with FanDuel, DraftKings, and Action Network, so one can assume that they will be involved pretty heavily with this betting-related content. It is no secret that a person who bets is more inclined to keep up with a sporting event that they have wagered on it, and the NBA will do what they can to make casual bettors more enthralled with the NBA, and to make those who do not wager interested in betting casually on professional basketball. One really cool feature of this new NBA App is that if someone does not wish to see betting content, they will have an option to do so.?
The new NBA App is pushing the boundary to how far a professional sports league can go with promoting gambling-related content. While most of the gambling-specific content will be made by partners, the league is no less guilty of pushing people in the direction of sports betting. One interesting thing to follow will be how this app, which is powered by Turner Sports, affects ESPN and regional sports networks, which are the main channels that people tune-in to watch NBA basketball. There is a potential that this new app would step on the toes of major broadcast networks like ESPN, which could cause potential issues down the line.?
The African gambling industry has changed substantially over the last two years which notably arose due to the unprecedented outbreak of covid-19 that led to growth of virtual sports far beyond what we all imagined since there was a time where all sports leagues were shutdown leaving sportsbook providers with no sports games playing to generate odds feeds from for their clients thus forcing punters to resort to only virtual sports and Esports.?
The events in virtual sports are usually shorter than live sports events, lasting 3 – 5 minutes, and are depicted with extremely realistic graphics of the games made/created from real major sports leagues or races. Aside from realistic graphics and probabilities, realistic outcomes are possible in virtual sports events same as most betting markets in real Prematch and live sports betting.
Drawing from my over 14 years of experience in the gaming industry in Africa see our blog about the rise of Virtual sports in Africa;
?Thanks to technological advancements, increase in both internet and mobile phone penetration and a burgeoning population with a passion for sports, notably football. African bettors are growing aficionados of virtual sports in addition to regular sports betting across all popular betting sites and also in retail networks.?
Why are virtual Sports Popular among Africa punters?
Virtual sports are appealing to football fans who wish to place larger numbers of modest wagers. This occurs to almost precisely coincide with modern African bettors. When you consider the age of the players and their fondness for technology, it’s easy to see why virtuals are so popular.
African demographics are characterized by youth. According to UN-Habitat figures, roughly 420 million people, or 35% of the continent’s population, are between the ages of 15 and 35. Sports bettors are typically younger over the world, and much more so in Africa. As many as 54% of sub-Saharan Africans aged 17 to 35 had at least tried betting Mobile betting is popular among African gamblers. According to GeoPoll, 75% of bettors use their mobile phones to place their wagers. As mobile adoption rises across the continent, sports bettors in some nations are more likely to have a mobile phone than a laptop
Virtual sports may be the first sports betting encounter for younger generations who have grown up in a world of high-definition graphics and video games. Betting on virtual sports can be utilized as a learning tool for people who are unfamiliar with the puzzling odds concept. Virtuals offer a larger frequency of betting possibilities, allowing punters to become familiar with the odds systems.
Virtuals provide skilled gamblers with the endless betting alternatives they’ve always wanted. Virtual sports bettors usually stop watching the event after a few weeks; the long-term attraction is the excitement of staking and winning money instantly every after few minutes. Playing the odds and putting their gut sense to the test is something many punters enjoy almost as much as the sport itself
In Africa, the great majority of sports bettors wager frequently but in small amounts. In Kenya/Uganda, for example, the majority of gamblers wager at least thrice a week, if not every day. According to a three-year-old IPSOS survey, the typical Kenyan resident aged between 18 and 29 spends $14 every month on betting. Virtual sports betting is well-suited to the low-volume, high-frequency betting habit. There’s also the issue of legal standing to consider. Games of skill, for example, are legal in Nigeria, but games of chance are banned. Because evaluating the odds before placing a wager requires ability, Nigerian punters can legally bet on virtual sports at any time
Finally, virtual sports appeal to the lifestyle and mindset of young, punters, which is why they are gaining popularity in Africa and worldwide. There’s never a shortage of events to wager on with 24/7 availability, thousands of events every day, plus the fact that virtual sports have no off-season
What are the forecasts for the future?
Any recipe for success must regard each country as an individual. Providers can also adapt their products to the market using virtuals. Football is a no-brainer, but the mix of other products, such as greyhound, horse racing, and Spin & win (Virtual Roulette) will be determined by regional preferences
Virtual betting’s high-frequency, short-duration choice corresponds to most punters’ fast-paced lifestyles. It’s no surprise that operators consider Africa a strong market for virtual sports betting, given technology advancements, increased sports betting revenues, and a young and growing population In fact, gambling experts believe that virtual sports will outperform regular sports betting in terms of income. The moderating effects of virtual sports on the sports wagering business on the internet?can be compared to the impact of streaming technology on the entertainment sector. With so much entertainment available at their fingertips, going to the movies for a new film has become more of a chore than an experience. Similarly, with virtual sports events available at all times, young African bettors may consider waiting for a live match to be a waste of time
When assessing the possibilities for virtual sports betting (or any other product) in Africa, it’s critical to avoid making assumptions about how development will proceed in other parts of the world. Understanding the future of the African betting market will rely on a thorough examination of its existing situation, rather than attempting to duplicate the growth of markets in Europe or Asia
African markets are expected to develop at their own speed, according to investors. The first thing that comes to mind is communication. Mobile adoption is surging across the continent, with Kenya surpassing 100% and other countries approaching comparable levels. While the Western world adapted to traditional telephones before moving on to the next stage of the technology revolution, the landline was rendered obsolete for many Africans even before it was deployed.
There are new scenarios in LATAM for the iGaming business, as the region has become a strategic geographic area for operators trying to leverage new business opportunities. SCCG Management offers a dynamic ecosystem of solutions to strengthen gaming operations in LATAM.
Now that the population has acquired new browsing habits, the objective is for potential customers to consider remote gambling as part of their regular entertainment routine. iGaming platforms have the challenge of staying interesting in the face of other digital entertainment options. The increasing adoption of smartphones and increasing internet penetration provides easy access to online platforms.
The change in the lifestyle of citizens across the LATAM region should be highlighted as a positive informer since it opens the possibility of increasing engagement with the generations more familiar with technology.?
The increase in the time spent at home has led to an increase in the interest of the population towards leisure time activities and is expected to lead to a plummeting demand for online gaming to be deployed at the consumer end.?
Casino operators can take advantage of this, providing innovative catalog of games with variety of bonuses that stimulate the interest of different audiences through to improve the user experience.?
Compared to some other regions, LATAM players bet lower amounts at higher frequencies. And there are no surprises when it comes to what they bet on: sports betting is the most popular vertical in virtually every single LATAM country, with slots, poker, and bingo also widely played.?
There is a key aspect on players to keep in mind: many of LATAM senior generations do not have access to the Internet or do not have enough technical knowledge of mobile gaming to get engaged in iGaming activities. At the same time, there is a great share of younger, tech-savvy potential clients who can engaged in iGaming and can be easily reached via popular digital marketing methods.
All these factors represent a unique window of opportunity. SCCG Management's ecosystem of casino gaming solutions allows us to address most of the challenges we face today as an industry to support operators in the different countries of the LATAM region. Our ecosystem is a dynamic and continuous process of seeking partnerships with best-in-class and emerging firms in entirely new categories.?
From sports betting platforms, content providers, affiliate marketing to responsible gaming solutions, at SCCG Management we want to bring real solutions to strengthen gaming operations in LATAM considering the huge audience that exists and the appetite for gambling.
We are attending G2E! Find us at booth #2916 to discuss how we can support your operational gaming strategies.?
La evolución del ecosistema cliente-socio de SCCG Management
La evolución del ecosistema cliente-socio de SCCG Management
En SCCG Management adoptamos un enfoque consultivo para servir a la industria del juego porque entendemos que los operadores han construido sus negocios a diferentes velocidades, en distintas escalas y con alcances de productos y servicios a menudo muy diversos. Sin embargo, asumir la responsabilidad de ayudar a los operadores a evolucionar sus negocios requiere un esfuerzo adicional.
La evolución del ecosistema cliente-socio de SCCG Management
En SCCG Management adoptamos un enfoque consultivo para servir a la industria del juego porque entendemos que los operadores han construido sus negocios a diferentes velocidades, en distintas escalas y con alcances de productos y servicios a menudo muy diversos. Sin embargo, asumir la responsabilidad de ayudar a los operadores a evolucionar sus negocios requiere un esfuerzo adicional.
Nuestro enfoque para abordar los retos específicos de los operadores dio lugar a un ecosistema de soluciones de juego de casino que aborda la mayoría de los retos a los que nos enfrentamos hoy en día como industria.
Empezando con soluciones que cubren el 80% de las necesidades comunes, hemos a?adido como asociados a empresas de vanguardia cuyas tecnologías y servicios nos ayudan a preparar nuestro negocio para los retos del futuro.
Entendemos que los productos y el software no pueden resolver todos los problemas. A veces necesitamos servicios gestionados que nos aporten personal y experiencia adicionales para llevar una iniciativa al siguiente nivel.
El ecosistema es un proceso dinámico y continuo de búsqueda de asociaciones con las mejores empresas de su clase y con firmas emergentes en categorías totalmente nuevas. En la actualidad, nos centramos en:
SCCG Management no deja de moverse por la industria. Estamos agresivamente comprometidos con la promesa de que:
Nunca llegamos a un operador con una empresa que tiene una solución buscando un problema.
Cuando nos reunimos, primero escuchamos para tratar de entender su negocio desde su perspectiva. Sólo después de eso tratamos de compartir nuestra perspectiva y experiencias con usted.
Cuando finalmente compartimos ideas para soluciones que cumplan su misión tanto para hoy como para ma?ana, presentamos a clientes socios que están dispuestos y deseosos de trabajar en conjunto para crear soluciones holísticas sin burdas soluciones manuales. Todos nos hemos visto frustrados, durante décadas, por empresas con una actitud de "usted tomará lo que le damos y le gustará". Eso ya no nos interesa.
Por eso hacemos lo que hacemos cada día para seguir aportando soluciones reales a nuestros amigos de la comunidad de juegos de casino. Es un modelo de negocio satisfactorio, y esperamos que usted vea el valor del proceso como nosotros.
Touchdown
As always, let’s start stateside. Legal betting across this year’s NFL opening weekend experienced an over 70% rise when compared to 2021, according to geolocation data.
When a customer places a wager, it’s important to verify their physical location – a service which companies such as GeoComply and Xpoint provide.
According to GeoComply, 103.1 million geolocation checks were carried out last weekend following the NFL’s kick off on 8 September.
This constitutes a considerable increase when compared to last year’s 60.1 million checks. New York alone, whose betting market launched in January, was responsible for 15.7 million checks.
This does not come as a surprise, but neighbouring Pennsylvania wasn’t far behind. The Keystone State saw geolocation checks rise by 30% to 15.3 million from 11.8 million.
Meanwhile, Illinois nabbed third place with eight million checks, while New Jersey and Michigan came in fourth and fifth place respectively.
?Madre mía!
In Europe, Spain’s gross gaming revenue (GGR) has remained virtually flat on a sequential basis, amounting to €203.9m ($207.3m) for Q2.
领英推荐
Spanish gaming regulator Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) has published its latest revenue report, highlighting no growth on a quarter-over-quarter basis and a modest decrease in GGR year-on-year.
When compared to Q1, the country’s top line revenue shrank by less than 1%. However, when compared to last year’s second quarter, Spain’s GGR experienced an over 5% drop.
This shortfall can be largely attributed to a decrease in betting revenue, which recorded a 7% drop when compared to Q1 but a 34% drop on a year-on-year basis.
Eduardo Morales Hermo, Senior Gambling, Betting & Business Consultant at Ficom Leisure, credited this downturn to a low margin, which “worsened slightly this quarter.”
Homeward bound
Turning our attention to Africa, UK-based casino operator Metropolitan Gaming has sold its stake in South Africa’s Emerald Resort and Casino to a local consortium.
Tsogo Sun, a gaming and hospitality group headquartered in Johannesburg, led the bid to acquire Metropolitan’s interest in Emerald.
Michael Silberling, CEO of Metropolitan Gaming, expressed his gratitude to Emerald’s current and former team members.
He commented: "We want to thank all our employees at Emerald Resort and Casino past and present for their hard work, professionalism and loyalty, particularly during the global Covid-19 pandemic.”
From Metropolitan’s perspective, it can now better concentrate its resources elsewhere, namely Egypt and its home market, the UK.
I spy with my little eye
For our penultimate story, we’ll head down under. Australia’s financial watchdog has launched a probe into Entain Group to determine whether or not it complied with anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) law.
Following an “extensive supervisory campaign,” the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) has commenced an enforcement investigation.
The regulator’s Chief Executive, Nicole Rose, said all reporting entities must “take seriously their role in combatting serious and organised crime.
“Reporting entities have a responsibility to ensure they identify, assess and manage risks of money laundering and terrorism financing, develop adequate processes and devote the necessary resources to comply with their AML/CTF obligations,” she stated.
When you wish upon a falling star
We’ll remain in Australia for our final story. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rebuffed calls for a national gaming regulator after The Star Entertainment Group was deemed unsuitable to operate its casino in Sydney.
A months-long review of The Star culminated in a report published earlier this week condemning its behaviour.
The report by Adam Bell found that The Star was unsuitable to hold a licence and New South Wales’ regulator is now considering what punitive action it will take, which could see said licence revoked.
Since then, several Australian politicians have likewise issued condemnations and called for change. Among them is Andrew Wilkie, MP for Clark, Tasmania.
He called The Star’s conduct “unethical and illegal,” indicating “deep cultural and systemic problems in the company.” He went on to say this highlights “why there is an urgent need for a national inquiry.”
However, Albanese disagreed, declaring his support for state regulators and decrying what he called “regulation for the sake of it.”
Surprises in the Brazilian Elections
The polls had anticipated different results than the final ones. In summary, Bolsonaro had a lot more votes than the polls anticipated.
This situation generated a national wave of criticism. Newspapers usually fund these polls as they are the most interested in using the repercussion of the polls as content for their publications.
Bolsonaro finished second in the first round of the Presidential elections, but he has a lot more hopes to win than firstly anticipated.
Regardless if who wins the upcoming elections, the financial markets don’t see major differences in the upcoming economic scenario between 2023 and 2026. The same should apply to our industry, Bolsonaro doesn’t seem the least bit interested in a swift and radical regulation of the pending gaming bill, he’s worried about his own future.?
Lula didn’t mention anything specific recently, but he doesn’t have any reason to block the interests of our industry. But let’s try to make some sense of the current reality in Brazil after the first round of the presidential elections and the legislative elections that are concluded.?
Senators: Bolsonaro’s new weapon
If reelected, Bolsonaro will count on a lot more senators loyal to him than during the first term. Over 100 senators will be a headache to Lula if the candidate wins the upcoming second round of the Brazilian Presidential elections.
Chamber of Deputies
The party of Jair Bolsonaro also elected 99 congressmen. The party elected more names than PT, the party of Lula.
If re-elected, Bolsonaro would count on more support at this house than during the first term.
Legislative Relief and Rebirth?
The bitter lessons learned during the first term may help Bolsonaro if reelected. He seems to have understood that fighting against the legislative houses doesn’t yield good results and he must have a good relationship with the houses to champion his agenda.
He certainly could perform better in the legislative scenario now that he would have over 100 senators and 99 congressmen together with him.
The Second Round of the Presidential Elections
On the last Sunday of October, Brazilians will vote once again. It’s fair to say the elections are more unpredictable than ever.
Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG Management announced a partnership with Jooba Tech, providing business development, and strategic advisory services for their jackpot management system.
Stephen Crystal said of the partnership “We are very excited to move forward with Jooba Tech. Jackpots strengthen brand competitiveness, attract new players, retain existing ones and increase player’s average wager amount. Their platform is easy to integrate and able to run over any game, product, and event, satisfying a major demand in the gaming industry”
Alec Melnik, Co-founder of Jooba Tech said “With SCCG's successful track record, and Jooba's innovative Jackpot product offering, I am confident that we will make waves in the industry for operators and providers alike. We are proud to be working with SCCG on bringing our unique and flexible Jackpot Management System to market along with our other roadmap ambitions."
Jooba is the ultimate Jackpot management system. The system can run jackpots across any games, regardless of the provider or supplier or integration type. Jooba’s customization solves the need to manage multiple Jackpot systems from multiple providers that only work on their games. Jooba allows you to manage all of your Jackpots in one location for all of your products. In a landscape where offering a bonus is becoming more limited and more restrictive, with Jooba you can offer Jackpots to your players and still remain fully compliant. Jackpots are a great way to attract new players as well as keep your existing player base happy. Using your already existing segments, Jooba allows you to create Jackpots around those segments and target exactly the player demographics you want to. With Jooba’s exciting must-drop Jackpots, you can spice up any sporting event with a guaranteed Jackpot drop during the game.
ABOUT JOOBA TECH
Jooba specializes in player engagement tools starting with our revolutionary Jackpot Management System. Create exciting Jackpots over any of your products to help acquire and retain players as well as drive boosts to turnover. Enquire today about how Jooba can help you and your brand increase acquisition and conversion, while increasing your product's turnover.?
ABOUT SCCG MANAGEMENT
SCCG Management is a consultancy that specializes in sports betting, iGaming, sports marketing, affiliate marketing, technology, intellectual property protection, product commercialization, esports, capital formation, M&A, joint ventures, casino management, and governmental and legal affairs for the casino and iGaming industry.
SCCG Management celebrates 2022 as its 30th Anniversary of leadership and innovation for the gaming industry.
CONTACT
Stephen A. Crystal, SCCG Management
??Mobile/WhatsApp: +1 702-427-9354
??Email: [email protected]
??Social Media: https://www.dhirubhai.net/company/sccg-management
Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG Management, announced today that the firm has entered into an advisory and consultancy agreement with Quinault Beach Resort Ocean Shores Hotel and Casino, to provide support for their initiative to bring a retail sports book to their resort casino, including mobile sports wagering and iGaming casino amenities, in partnership with their brick and mortar gaming operations.?
Located on the beach at Ocean Shores, the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino is Washington’s premiere coastal destination. Surrounded by the majestic Pacific Ocean and nestled amidst over 200 acres of protected wetlands, this resort offers views of unparalleled natural beauty from virtually every window. With three restaurants to choose from and a Vegas style casino with over 500 slot machines, a poker room, and 12 table games, Quinault Beach Resort and Casino is sure to become your favorite getaway location!
Sports betting has been legal in Washington since March 2020 exclusively at retail tribal casinos. Quinault Indian Nation and several other Washington tribes received federal approval. Mobile wagering in Washington is heavily limited and only legal on tribal land.
ABOUT QUINAULT BEACH RESORT AND CASINO
Quinault Beach Resort and Casino opened in May of 2000. It is owned and operated by the Quinault Indian Tribe. We are the only beachfront casino on the Washington coast. Quinault Beach Resort is your clear choice for fun, food, and gaming at the beach. Come stay at one of our cozy and comfortable beachfront rooms. We offer over 700 slot machines and exciting table game action.
ABOUT SCCG MANAGEMENT
SCCG specializes in sports betting and data, developing worldwide brands, representation before governmental agencies for complex regulatory matters, intellectual property, and strategic business development within international, land-based casinos, internet gambling, gaming, esports, and entertainment markets.
CONTACT
Stephen A. Crystal, SCCG Management
??Mobile/WhatsApp: +1 702-427-9354
??Email: [email protected]
??Social Media: https://www.dhirubhai.net/company/sccg-management
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2 年See you soon Stephen Crystal
International Casino Gaming Consultant (available)
2 年If u don't build it , they certainly won't come !
Technology innovator and leader of high growth mass consumer businesses
2 年Great update Stephen - especially the rise of virtuals in Africa